Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1887-07-28
HISTORY OF LONG sRANcA.
How the Land ON Which It Stands Was
Wrested Frem the Indians.


Wrested Frem the Indians.
1t was on a summers evening in the
fabulous DAYS of 1870 that four white
men, named Slocum. Parker, Wardell
and Hulett, made their appearance at
the little Indian fishing hamlet.
LANDS End now Long Branch. The
lazy surf, blue and silver, under a
clear sky and warm sun, was break
ing with low swash upon the brown
sand of the beach. The salt meadow
grass was just stirred by the gentle
westerly breeze. The blue smoke
curled upward slowly from the wig
vans, and the ripping laugh Of tive
swarthy children at play added MUSIC
to the scene. At the sound of foot
steps the braves, who were lettering
about the fire. looked up and beheld the
vanguard of that civilization which was
to drive the children of the Lenni-
Lenape from the face of the earth, and
establish on the site of their homes
one of the greatest summer resorts Of
fashion and frivolity.
The Indians made no hostile demon
stration against the new corners, but
fishing grounds of their fathers. The
white men proposed wrestling match
whether Greco-Roman. catch-as-
catch-can, Japanese or collar-and-el-
bow, is not recorded-to be decided by
two out of three falls. If the white
man won he and his friends were to
have as much land as they could walk
around in day; if he lost he and his
party were to depart peaceably. The
name of the white champion was John
Slocum; that of the Indian has been
lost in n maze of consOnants which our
forefathers could not hand down to Us
with the rest of the tale.
It is said of the white man that he
was of ''giant proportions. of supple
limb, and of great strength" The
qualifications of the Indian are not set
down, but it is fair to suppose that he
was "a good man." Each champion
meeting took place at spot known as
the Fish Landing" Both men-see
how history repeats itself-were con-
fident of success. Cool and deliberate
as they entered the arena, and the
struggle of Slocum against the Indian
Unknown" the contest of civilization
against barbarism, began. The first
fall was bitterly contested. but Slocum
finally threw his antagonist. In the
second trial, the Indian. it is stated,
.'made a violent effort, and both fell"
This must have been something in the
nature of what the school-boys call
''dog fall,' and I therefore opine that
this match was in the collar-and-elbow
style. The third trial proved the truth
of the famous though inelegant re-
mark of Mr.. Salem Scudder that
wherever the white man comes the
Injun and the niger have got to gil
up and git" Slocum, hardened by
long days of severe physical labor,
after protracted struggle, threw the
Indian and won the match. The
whites then demanded the fulfillment
of the bargain. and the Indians gave
them as much land as they could walk
around in a day. I take it that this
walking must have been a sort of 60
as-you-please performance, for do
not know any four heel-and-toe walk
ers of the present who could encircle
in single day rs much land as Messrs.
Slocum, Parker, Wardell and Hulett
went around in 1910. However, pre-
sumo every thing was fairly done. as
Indian warrants conveying the lands
to their white owners are still in exist
ence.-Outtag.